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Cedar Grove, NJ – On Wednesday night (September 21) the Essex County Freeholders spent more taxpayer money, even thought the county taxpayers have to swallow another tax hike this year of as yet unknown proportions, said District 4 Freeholder candidate Joseph Chiusolo.

The county web site lists a 2011 budget with an $11 milion tax hike — bringing the county tax levy to $384 million. Still many towns don’t have the official tax levy yet from the county so the residents don’t yet know the full impact of the tax hike.

“Taxpayers should be treated with dignity and they should know by now how much county government is costing them,” added Chiusolo, the Deputy Mayor of Cedar Grove.

Chiusolo noted that 25 percent of the property taxes in Cedar Grove go to support county government,

Essex County residents pay the second highest percentage of their income in property taxes in the nation, according to the national Tax Foundation, and it looks like the county will retain that dubious honor, said Chiusolo.

Chiusolo, who is hoping to represent the district that pays the highest percentage of property taxes of any district in the county — $160 million – said the newly appointed District 4 freeholderLeonard Luciano has shown he is no different than the other Democratic freeholders who have represented the district.

“Mr. Luciano has shown no willingness to fight for the taxpayers of District 4, nor has he shown the ability to be open and forthright with the taxpayers of the district,” said Chiusolo.

“If he wants to get elected to the freeholder board, he should be telling us how the county’s budget is going to impact us.But we have not heard from him on budget matters; all we know is that he votes in lockstep with the other members of the board, who continue to waste millions of taxpayer dollars for zoo exhibits and to build restaurants,” said Chiusolo.

The Republican freeholder candidate said there needs to be more public debate on county spending and borrowing.